Of Angels and Secretaries
by ficdirectory
Summary: After the death of Hotch's secretary, Miss O'Malley, JJ finds something unexpected while cleaning out her desk. Post-ep for 5x20 "A Thousand Words." Written for sugarhigh9394 for being the 100th reviewer of What Breaks a Family. She requested a story featuring JJ, Morgan and a newborn baby. Cover credit: musewars.


_A baby is an angel whose wings decrease as his legs increase_. - Author Unknown

When Derek walks out of the house with the newborn baby, JJ's breath catches. They had thought they'd find an unsub who was pregnant, but here was this baby. This boy. According to the victim who had been forced to deliver him, his mother's last words had been that she didn't want him. It breaks JJ's heart because the baby got about as much choice in its gender as it did in the fact that it was born at all.

All babies deserve to be loved, JJ is sure of this. And child of unsubs or not, JJ finds she can't stay away from Derek as he bounces the little bundle in his arms and waits for the ambulance.

"You want to hold him?" Derek asks.

"Of course." And just like that, JJ's arms - and her heart - are full. She is transported back five months to Henry's birth, and she can't imagine not wanting him. She can't imagine refusing to hold him.

Between the two of them, they manage to unwrap the old, dirty shirt from around the baby. He squirms and cries and JJ shushes him gently.

"It's okay," she whispers as Derek wraps him snugly in his FBI jacket.

"There you go," Derek whispers.

"Strauss is going to kill you. You know that, right?' JJ says plainly, looking at him.

"Oh, 'cause she cares so much about my jacket…" Derek scoffs lightly.

"She cares about money," JJ defends. "I'm willing to bet that jacket costs something and she's not going to be too happy that it's covered in afterbirth."

Derek bristles. "Jeez, JJ! You think you could be a little less graphic. The little guy's listening!"

"I'm sorry," JJ whispers to the fussing baby. "We weren't talking about you, were we?"

She's so enamored by the baby that she hardly notices when the ambulance pulls up on scene. She doesn't think she'll be able to let him go. Not without being sure he'll go to a good home. A good family. To people who will love him and who won't define him by the people he came from but by everything he has the potential to bring to the world.

"Jaje. They're here. We gotta give him up…" Derek says softly, regret in his tone.

"I don't know if I can," she manages around the lump in her throat. Then, to the baby in her arms, JJ whispers, her tone fierce, "JJ loves you, okay? You remember that." She holds him close one last time and then hands him to Derek, because it's easier than handing him to the ambulance crew.

Derek's voice is low, but JJ can still make it out as he walks away with the baby, who doesn't have a name or parents yet. "You gotta go with these nice people now, all right? They're not gonna hurt you." There's a long pause, and then Derek speaks around emotion in his own throat. "You're a good kid," he manages and then passes the wrapped newborn to one of the EMTs.

"Take care of him," Derek calls softly. "Thanks, guys." Then, he walks back and stands beside JJ.

"I feel like we're his parents," JJ laughs through her own tears. She crosses her arms. It's a feeble attempt to hold herself together.

"We kinda _are_. We're the first people who wanted him, right? The first people who loved him. In my book, that's a parent," Derek says and puts an arm around JJ.

She turns away as the ambulance starts. She can't watch it leave with a piece of her heart inside.

"He'll be all right," Derek murmurs.

* * *

It's two years, and a lifetime later, when Hotch's secretary, Miss O'Malley suddenly passes away. JJ has just emerged from another case where she and Derek worked closely together; trying to help a boy named Angel, recover from an unspeakable captivity. She is busy shredding Miss O'Malley's personal documents when something catches her eye.

It's a manila envelope, clearly marked: _Agent Jareau_.

She cannot help her curiosity. No one is here at the moment, and JJ is in stealth mode, as she promised Miss O'Malley she would be when taking care of all of her personal papers here at work. She sits in the chair, which feels strange, because no one would dare occupy Miss O'Malley's desk. Somehow, though, JJ doesn't think she will mind. Carefully, she opens the clasp and slides her finger under the flap of the envelope. What she finds inside takes her breath.

Inside are updated pictures and short typed updates on kids from past cases. Each one was neatly labeled with a yellow post-it note that specified the general time period of the case, as well as the location. Wasn't she just out with Derek, musing about past cases? Wondering what became of the kids they helped?

JJ flips through the pictures, reading each meticulously typed update.

_Winter of 2005. Tennessee. Brisbane, Wally._

_Wally is now thirteen and is still pursuing music. At latest update, he is busy rehearsing for the junior high production of Peter Pan._

_Autumn of 2006. Powers, Dustin/Sparks, Charlie/Peter._

_Charlie, as he is known now, is twelve and is still working on adjusting to life with his mother. They are grateful for each other, but the road back is long._

_Autumn of 2006. Washington DC. Harris, Nathan._

_Nathan remains in psychiatric care._

_Winter of 2006. Illinois. Barfield, James. _

_James has graduated high school and is in college on a football scholarship. He says to thank "Derek."_

_Fall of 2007. Colorado. Ortiz, Carrie & Wells, Tyler._

_Carrie has graduated college and is pursuing a career in social work. She made the Dean's List consistently and remains committed to honoring the memory of her family. I am happy to report that Tyler has found a permanent home in a loving family. He was adopted in 2008 and looks forward to graduating high school in a few months' time._

_Fall of 2007. Virginia. Jacobs, Katie & Jacobs, Jeremy._

_Katie is now ten years old and coping admirably with slight educational deficits due to oxygen deprivation. She remains in counseling for personal issues. Jeremy is seventeen and has had a difficult time adapting to life in foster care._

_Winter of 2010. Wyoming. Summers, Christopher. _

_Christopher is working part time and living with relatives. He working to put his life together again, but is still battling various mental health issues, stemming from his experiences._

JJ stops short. She wonders at the gap between the Jacobs cousins and Christopher. Wondering what happened to her keen ability to dig up information over those three years. Then, JJ thinks again at the congenital condition that eventually took Miss O'Malley from them. It must have made it difficult at the very least to pursue updates on so many of the kids they've helped over the years.

She takes a deep breath. There is one more update. But this one is separated from the rest. Its in its own white envelope, which is blank. JJ carefully pulls out the contents and stares at the countless pictures of an unfamiliar toddler. He has auburn hair and brown eyes. JJ studies his face but cannot place him. Finally she gives up and searches the envelope for the note, describing him. Finally, she locates it.

_Spring of 2010. Florida. Baby John Doe/O'Malley, Darren Matthew._

_Dear Agent Jareau,_

_You may not recognize the face in the picture. This is the little boy you and Agent Morgan held in Tallahassee. _

_I have family in the area, you see. My son and daughter-in-law wanted to adopt, and I let it slip that I knew of a baby who had been rescued. A baby who needed a home and a family. They had done all the necessary prior work, and all they were waiting for is a child to love. With this particular baby's background being what it was, it was difficult to place him, but my son and his wife pursued adopting him, specifically. _

_I confess, I made quite a convincing case for the name Darren. He is named for both of you, Derek and Jennifer. He will be two years old this May, and he has been the light of my life. It gives me comfort to know that when I leave, I will only be going to wherever it is my grandson came from before he came to us. My family knows the role you and Agent Morgan played in saving and loving Darren, and they would like to stay in touch with you, in my absence._

_Please see enclosed contact information._

_Sincerely,_

_Matilda O'Malley_

The next day, JJ seeks out Derek and slaps the envelope down on his desk, triumphant.

"What's this?" he asks, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"_This _is our baby," JJ maintains seriously.

Derek cocks an eyebrow. "You'd think I'd remember somethin' like that. Does Will know?" he jokes.

"Would you shut up and look?" JJ exclaims. "It's the baby you rescued in Florida two years ago. The one we held…"

Derek is silent now, thumbing through the letter, the information, the pictures and the updates about all of the baby's milestones and interests. "Hold on," Derek says, stopping short. "Miss O'Malley's son got our baby? And they wanna stay in touch? …Somebody better not be punkin' me right now," Derek insists. JJ watches him swallow and says nothing. "After everything we went through with Angel," he says distantly.

JJ watches as his hand goes to his pocket. She imagines it closing around the quarter she'd given him in the parking lot days earlier.

"Pretty crazy, right?" JJ asks.

"Yeah," Derek echoes. "Pretty crazy."

_The End._

**A/N: For more on Miss O'Malley, check out "The Secret Keepers." To read about JJ and Morgan talking after helping Angel, you can read "Ghosts and Graces."**


End file.
